HC Deb 21 October 1975 vol 898 c224
8. Mr. Robin F. Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current estimate of the future life of the Polaris weapons system.

Mr. Mason

Many years yet.

Mr. Cook

What does my right hon. Friend mean by "many years yet"? Does it represent a departure from the view of the previous Conservative Government that Polaris had an effective life until the late 1980s? If it represents a departure from that view, what has happened to enable the Government to depart from that view?

Mr. Mason

No; I cannot be more specific than that. Without replacing the present Polaris system, there are still many years of life left in the system.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Is the Minister considering holding a nuclear test explosion at Nevada? If so, is it connected with updating or improving the Polaris warhead?

Mr. Mason

I have explained to the House on more than one occasion that maintaining the effectiveness of the present deterrent may necessitate further tests and I have indicated already that there may be—I put it no higher than that—a need for another test some time next year.